Weed destroyer



J. E. STEPHENS.

WEED DESTROYER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 28, 1921.

1,405,030, Patented Jan.31,1922.

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UNITED STATES PATENTFQFF'ICB-L 'JAMES STEPHENS, or LIBBY,MO1\IT. ANAI 1 WEED DESTROYER Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 28, 1921. Serial no. 44e,c2r.,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known-that I, JAMEs E. STEPHENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Libby, in the county of Lincohi, State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Weed Destroyers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new, and useful improvements in weed, destroyers,. and par-..

ered, and finally killed by the heat of the sun.

The present invention also contemplates a machine which is readily adjustable to dig to different depths according to the character of the weeds, some weeds being stronger and growing with their roots to greater depths in the ground than others.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. I

In the drawings:

Figure l-is a side elevation of a weed dig-- ging machine made in accordance w1th the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same. Figure 3 is a vertlcal sectional view across the minor dimension on the line 3-3 of.

Fig. 2.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings there is shown a drill frame in which is included the longer parallel front and rear bars 10 and 11, and the connecting and spacing end bars 12. On the rear face of the rear bar 11 are detachably clamped the rearwardly extending rack segments 13 on each of which is pivotally supported the intermediate ian land forwardly curved lever 1 3. Detachably mounted on'the' front member 10, of; the

we -.1 ae 12 2- frame, arethe brackets 10,, and pivotally connected with each bracket, is'arearwardly and downwardly extending beam l ll Secured to the lower curvedends ofthe beams 14 is a blade .15, the same having its oppo site ends turned upwardly-gas at 16.

tachably secured to theendbars 1 2; ar e the brackets 12" in which are-vertically slidable ,the upper-endsof-the downwardly and rear wardly inclining, curved :links t 17,2 the lower ends of said links being pivotally connected to the upturned ends 16 of the blade. Also pivotally connected to the ends .16, by means of the pivots 17 are the upwardly and forwardly inclined braces 19, the upper ends of said braces being pivotally connected to the brackets 20 which are carried by the end bars 12 of the frame. A set screw 21 is disposed through each bracket 20 to permit adjustment of the braces 19 so as to tilt the blade 15 into different angles with respect to the ground, for the purpose of digging to greater or lesser depths. It will be noted that the upper ends of the braces 19 are pivotally connected to the brackets'20 so that when the curved links 17 are moved through the brackets 12, said braces will swingon their pivots to permit theblade to assume different angles with respect to the ground. The forward edge of the blade 15 is prefer:

ably sharpened, as shownat 15 for thepur-' pose of properly entering the ground, as the machine is drawn. l

Carried by each beam 14: is a collar 21 having an upwardly extending lug 22 to which is pivotally connected a link 23, said link being. also pivotally connected to the adjacent end of the lever 13', whereby when said lever is rocked on its pivot the beam will be moved upwardly or downwardly'to elevate or lower the blade 15. Thus the angle of the cutting edge of the blade can be quickly and easily changed to suit the conditions of the soil and the weeds.

As the machine is drawn the blade will dig 3 into the ground,.lift a quantity of the soi together with the weeds, the'soil sifting back over the rear edge of the blade and falling onto the ground, while the weeds willbe left on the top of such sifted soil, and thus be exposed to the sun with the view to their early and complete withering and destruction. Devices of this character heretofore dig up the soil and Weeds, but upon dumping them onto the ground, a second set of diggers immediately ers the weeds, with the result that the Weeds are practically re- 7 planted and quickly spring up again, thus rendering the operation of digging useless.

on top of the soil to be'destroyed by the sun,

longitudinally of the greater dimension of the frame, the ends of the blade being upturned, a straight brace and a curved link secured to each end of the blade and to the upturned portions, each straight brace being pivotally connected with an end of the frame, and'guides on the ends of the frame receiving the ends of the curved links slid-- ably and adjustablytherethrough, whereby the blade is capable of adjustment into angles with respect to the ground.

2. A weed destroyer comprising a frame, brackets on the sides and ends of the frame, a transverse digger'blade below the frame having upturned ends and a downturned rear edge, beams pivotally connected with certaln of the brackets and rigidly connected with the intermediate portion of the blade,

adjusting levers pivotally carried by the frame and pivotally connected with the beams, braces pivotally connected With the upturned ends of the blade and certain others of the brackets, and curved links slidably adjustable in the remaining brackets and pivotally connected With the upturned ends of the blades In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES E; STEPHENS.

Witnesses JERRY FRirc WILLIAM LEE. 

